Dietrich

I've been diagnosed with meibomitis (or blepharitis, which is the same AFAIK).

The doctor prescribed Alcon's Tobrex drops and ointment to prepare me for the so called "lid massages". Boy, the name is deceiving...

I had to lay down on a couch, then some anaesthetic drops were applied to my eyes. I had to wait until me eyes became numb. Then the doctor put a little glass stick beneath my bottom lid and pressed the lid against it.

That was PAINFUL. The anaesthesia works only on the eye-ball so that the doctor can put the glass stick with no problems. So all my four eye-lids were squeezed this way. Then some Tobrex antibiotic drops were applied.

I've been through 4 of such mini-operations (as I call them).

I haven't noticed much of the difference so far but as I've mentioned I suffer from eye dryness only in the mornings/evenings. The doctor says the "pimples" on the lid surface are much fewer now but still some left.
The glands have "opened", she claimed, and we must continue with at least 2 more of these "massages"
to remove all the pus possible. Then she plans to apply the nasty green solution "viridis nitentis spirituosa" to the opened glands to ensure bactericide effect. The problem is, the green solution will be visible on my lids for days and I don't want to become an Indian warchief, lol.

I have some questions now:
1) is the procedure I've described called "lid scrubbing" in English?
2) has anyone of you undergone this procedure?
3) do you know any other solution instead of the viridis stuff? The doctor seems to care more about the bactericid effect than about my appearance, lol. There should be another solution/ointment with similar effect.

[This message has been edited by Dietrich (edited 06-12-2003).]